Clepidecrella abeona, Lowry & Stoddart, 2010

Lowry, J. K. & Stoddart, H. E., 2010, Kergueleniidae fam. nov. (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea) in Australian waters, Zootaxa 2564 (1), pp. 1-30 : 3-6

Clepidecrella abeona sp. nov.

( Figs 1–3 )

Type material. HOLOTYPE, female, 6.0 mm, AM P.68999, east of Cape Naturaliste , Tasmania, Australia, 40°45.94’S 149°01.62’E to 40°46.54’S 149°00.27’E, 2400–2500 m, mud, clay, 10 December 1986, R. T. Springthorpe, RV Franklin stn FR1086-04 . PARATYPES: male, 6.0 mm, AM P.69000 and 2 specimens, AM P.69001, type locality.

Type locality. East of Cape Naturaliste , Tasmania, Australia, 40°45.94’S 149°01.62’E to 40°46.54’S 149°00.27’E, 2400–2500 m depth.

Etymology. Named for the barque Abeona , wrecked off King Island, Bass Strait in the late 1800’s.

Diagnostic description. Antenna 1 peduncular article 1 not or only slightly produced dorsodistally. Mandible incisor present; left lacinia mobilis present; accessory spine row absent; molar absent. Maxilla 1 outer plate with 6 setal-teeth, most setal-teeth cuspidate; palp 2-articulate. Maxilliped palp article 2 longer than broad, length 1.5 x breadth. Gnathopod 1 basis expanded midanteriorly; ischium short, length 1.65 x breadth; carpus long, length 3.1 x breadth, longer than (1.7 x) propodus; propodus tapered distally, length 2.3 x breadth. Pereopods 3 and 4 propodus with short distal locking seta. Pereopod 5 basis slightly expanded posteriorly, with posteroventral lobe; merus moderately expanded posteriorly. Pereopod 7 basis with posteroventral lobe not extending much beyond ischium; merus posteroventral lobe extending less than halfway along carpus. Pleonite 3 without dorsodistal boss. Epimeron 3 posteroventral corner narrowly rounded. Uropod 1 rami with robust setae. Uropod 3 biramous; inner ramus about 1.9 x outer ramus; outer ramus 2-articulate. Telson shorter than broad, length about 0.9 x breadth.

Male. Antenna 1 with strong 2-field callynophore.

Remarks. Clepidecrella abeona is similar to the two previously described species, C. cabinda and C. tropicalis , in having a lacinia mobilis on the left mandible and 6 setal-teeth on maxilla 1 outer plate. It differs from these two species in not having a molar and having a narrowly rounded posteroventral corner on epimeron 3. It differs from all other Clepidecrella species in having a gnathopod 1 basis expanded midanteriorly.

The holotype female has long oostegite buds on gnathopod 2 and pereopods 3 to 5. It is the only species we have seen with a full complement of oostegites.

Distribution. South-eastern Australia, in 2400–2500 m depth.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Clepidecrella abeona sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.68999, east of Cape Naturaliste, Tasmania.

FIGURE 2. Clepidecrella abeona sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.68999; paratype male, AM P.69000, east of Cape Naturaliste, Tasmania. Scales represent 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Clepidecrella abeona sp. nov. Holotype female, AM P.68999, east of Cape Naturaliste, Tasmania. Scales represent 0.2 mm.